Arguably the most lasting impression made on the world by the Rastafari movement was the worldwide success of Bob Marley, undoubtedly the most famous Rasta in history. Most are under the impression that Rastafari and the music of Bob Marley are all about "One Love", dreds, and smoking pot. But behind this superficial veneer is a prophetic, apocalyptic, evangelical spiritual movement dedicated to the ideals of black liberation, Pan-Africanism, and the belief that the African diaspora will eventually be repatriated to their ancestral homelands.
Origins and Demographics
Rastafari first developed in the slums of Jamaica in the 1920s and 1930s. Its earliest beliefs were largely based on the writings of Marcus Garvey, considered by some Rastafaris to be a second incarnation of John the Baptist. Garvey's writings and political beliefs were fundamentally Pan-African, and in many ways Black Nationalist. Garvey railed against the political establishment of his day and criticized both the past and present abuses against Africans in the Americas and the contemporary colonial occupations in Africa at the time. Perhaps the most revolutionary assertion made by Garvey was that Africans currently living in the Americas would be repatriated to their ancestral homelands, finally free of the evils and excesses of Western society.
The most critical moment in the history of the development of Rastafari was the coronation of Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia in 1930. Haile Selassie is believed to be the second coming of Jesus Christ and is known to Rastafaris as "Jah", a shortened form of the Hebrew word "Jehova", meaning God the Father. As an incarnation of Jesus Christ, Selassie is viewed as a messianic figure who will liberate and lead a mass exodus of Africans living in the Americans back to Ethiopia, which is believed to be the biblical land of "Zion". Rastafaris believe that they are God's true chosen people and that their contemporary status of servitude is one which is only temporary; they believe that one day, African people will reclaim their status as equals and in some Rastafari circles, as rulers of the earth.
Ethiopia is an especially important place not only for Rastafaris, but also for the broader Pan-African movement, Christians, and Jews. For the Pan-African movement, Ethiopia was and still is to a certain extent viewed as the only African country which successfully resisted European colonialism. Though briefly occupied by Italy between 1936-1941, Ethiopia was one of the few countries on the African continent which was able to maintain not only its independence but its centrality in the minds of the those involved in the black liberation struggle. Ethiopia is also home to one of the oldest Christian churches in the world and also houses one of the oldest Jewish communities outside Israel. One of the earliest converts to Christianity was an Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40). As Rastafari is an Abrahamic religion, considered by many to be a form of Christianity, the centrality of Ethiopia in Rastafari makes sense from both a religious and political perspective. Interestingly, anthropologists now believe that eastern Africa, including Ethiopia, were where modern humans first evolved, which is actually a belief in Rastafari as well.
Though many assume that Rastafaris make up the majority of Jamaica's population, it is currently estimated that Rastafaris constitute only 5% of Jamaica's religious population, with a worldwide membership of roughly 1 million. The overwhelming majority of Jamaicans are mainline Protestants or Catholics, and largely reject Rastafari.
Beliefs
As Rastafari is a decentralized religion with no official governing body, its beliefs are varied and sometimes in conflict with one another. However, it is possible to synthesize some basic tenets of the belief system that are shared by all Rastafaris.
Perhaps the most important point to understanding Rastafari is that Rastafaris themselves reject the term "Rastafarianism". In Rastafari, "isms and schisms" are seen as responsible for dividing humanity, and as the focus of Rastafari is liberation rather than division, Rastafaris reject the term "Rastafarianism".
Emperor Haile Selassie I is believed to be the second coming of Jesus Christ. Though Selassie never openly denied his divinity, he did make several attempts to distance himself from the Rastafari movement, primarily because he was seen as the protector and in many ways the primary benefactor of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, Ethiopia's primary Christian denomination. Rastafaris do view themselves as part of the Abrahamic tradition; as such, they believe in both the Old and New Testaments, but key to their belief is that these texts have been misinterpreted by corrupt churches and that Christianity as a whole has become corrupt and is in need of radical reformation, transformation, and liberation.
With respect to race, Rastafaris generally believe that Africans are God's true chosen people and that their current status of servitude is only temporary. Some of Marcus Garvey's earliest writings were actually incredibly hostile towards white people, but many modern Rastafaris have instead decided to emphasize the focus on black liberation and indeed the liberation of all people from the material world.
Perhaps one of the most fundamental beliefs in Rastafari is the notion that Western society in general is in fact the biblical "Babylon" described in both the Old and New Testaments, particularly the Book of Revelation. Babylon is viewed as corrupt, oppressive, and fundamentally evil, and it is the goal of a Rastafari to shun the ways of Babylon including materialism, selfishness, and capitalism. Rastafaris see themselves as prisoners in Babylon who will eventually return to the land of Zion, believed by Rastafaris to be Ethiopia.
Vegetarianism, the wearing of hear in dreadlocks, and the ritual use of cannabis are perhaps the most commonly known practices of Rastafaris, but even these are not universal. Some Rastas do consume meat if the animals have been treated humanely, some do not wear dreds, and many do not actually smoke cannabis outside of "reasoning" ceremonies, where cannabis is believed to provide spiritual insight. The spiritual use of cannabis is much, much older than Rastafari. It was used by Hindus, particularly holy men known as "sadhus" for thousands of years before its introduction in the Rastafari movement. Because both India and Jamaica were British colonies, Indian and African workers often intermingled in Jamaica, and it is believed that Indian, Hindu workers first introduced the idea of using cannabis ritually to Jamaica. Rastafaris refer to cannabis as "ganja", the Sanskrit word for marijuana.
Bob Marley - Revolutionary, Musician, and Prophet
Although Bob Marley is without question the most influential Rasta in history, the true nature of his music has been largely whitewashed since his death. "One Love", "Three Little Birds", and "Could You Be Loved" are by far his most popular songs, but among his less popular songs one can find a message of black liberation, radical resistance, and revolution deeply connected to his Rastafari beliefs.
"Time Will Tell" is perhaps Marley's most cynical song, perfectly portraying the Rastafari belief that Western society is Babylon. The chorus goes "Time alone, oh, time will tell. Ya think you're in heaven but ya living in hell", illustrating the Rastafari belief that many beneficiaries of Western society do in fact believe that they are living in heaven on earth, but that it is in reality hell, or Babylon. "War" is a song primarily based on Haile Selassie I's 1963 address to the United Nations, which asserts that there will be war throughout the African continent until colonial rule is ended forever. "We Africans will fight - we find it necessary, and we know we shall win, as we are confident in the victory of good over evil" is a direct challenge by both Selassie and Marley to the colonial order in Africa. Perhaps Marley's most well-known revolutionary song is "Redemption Song", in which Marley openly criticizes various facets of modern society and calls for the liberation of people from its evils.
Unfortunately, much of Marley's revolutionary message has been lost with time, as has that of Rastafari in general. But there can be no doubt that the music of Bob Marley and the Rastafari movement as a whole have played critical roles in the development, expansion, and the ultimate successes of the black liberation movement including the overthrow of colonial governments in Africa, the advancement of rights for people of color throughout the Americas, and the emphasis of the basic belief that the black man is equal to the white man, deserving all the same privileges and protections afforded to Europeans. So, stoners, and Westerners in general, let us begin a fundamental reflection on the music of Bob Marley and Rastafari and begin to develop a more holistic appreciation for their positive influence on our society.